Gun Barrel Epiphanies
by BlackCat9
Summary: Greg is in love with Nick and wants to tell the world. Nick is afraid to. A case goes bad and Nick finds himself looking down a gun barrel.


**Gun Barrel Epiphanies**

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Greg leaned into the body warming his side, kissing the shoulder that lie there.

"I want to tell them." He whispered the voice warm and soothing. Nick stiffened noticeably but didn't answer.

Greg leaned up on his arm, 'What's the matter baby?"

Nick looked up at Greg guilt in his eyes, "I… I don't think that's a good idea. "

Greg frowned visibly, an unhappy conclusion forming behind the lab tech's eyes, 'Why not?"

Nick looked down at the bed sheets, "I don't think I'm ready for that sort of ….sort of..."

"Admittance? Are you afraid they won't accept you at work? They're made of stronger shit the bigotry, Nick." Greg answered hurt and anger beginning to show through

"Greg…" Nick began trying to soothe, "I know… It's just…"

"What are you ashamed of me? Think they couldn't handle the straight up CSI 3 with the goofy Lab tech?" Greg pushed anger getting the better of him

"You know that's not it!" Nick exclaimed sitting forward as Greg began to push himself out of the bed

"Then what is it? Because if it's not me and it's not them," Greg said eyes flaring, grabbing his boxers

"It's me." Nick admitted quietly, "I'm afraid of the consequences. I don't want to lose you to the world."

Greg softened slightly and finished pulling his boxers up his waist. He picked up his shirt and jeans and looked sadly at Nick.

"You have to be willing to be in a relationship with me Nick. I can't hide behind closet doors with you. I did that for too long, before realizing I didn't need to. You don't either" Greg said resigned to what he was going to do

Nick looked at the clothes in Greg's hands and up to Greg.

"Find me, when you can pull yourself out of your hidey-hole." Greg said mournfully and walked out of the bedroom.

Nick sat on the bed in an empty room and stared at the door.

Nick was staring down the barrel of a gun being held by a rejected wife. She was crying of a murder she had committed five years before. Staring into a tiny hole that with one flinch of her finger could put his brains against the wall.

Nick couldn't think of anything but getting the gun away from her so she couldn't fire so he could see Greg again. He tried not to cry. He had to see those bright eyes again.

Relief fell over him when Grissom finally came in gun drawn on the women and managed to get her to lower her weapon.

He couldn't even answer when Grissom asked if he was ok when the woman was taken away, he just kept the tears back.

"I need to get back to the lab, and finish processing the evidence." He said quietly.

"Maybe you should go home," Grissom suggested cautious.

Nick thought of home, cold and alone without Greg. He shook his head, "I need to go tot the lab….You drive"

Greg wasn't in lab when Nick got back. He dropped off his evidence with another lab tech and went to the break broom, to collect himself.

There he found Greg and some other of the staff in a group talking over coffee. Greg draining his cup and setting it on the counter, still apart of the conversation.

Something in Nick clicked, and it didn't matter how afraid he had been before, the thought of losing the one thing in his life that made sense, was worth the gun barrel epiphany.

Nick strode up quickly to the group, gathering looks from them all. Greg watching him confusion marring his face. Nick didn't think as he pulled Greg towards him in passionate embrace.

Nick pulled back after a few seconds and stared down at a dazed Greg and was hard pressed not to cry, "You not being with me scares me more than world ever could."

Greg nodded relief sweeping him and worry all at the same time. Nick buried his head into the crook of Greg's neck, letting his jacket hide the tears from there co-workers and Greg held him tightly, placing his head on Nick's shoulder.

"I love you to." Greg whispered in answer to Nick's confession, "Let's get you back home."

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(Reviews are always appreciated. They kind of keep me writing some days)

(And a side note to Caster, thank you for the grammatical error correction. You would think an english nerd like me, would have caught it:p...Thanks you everyone who has reviewed (And anybody thinking about reviewing 8D )


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